Actually I believe it is copyrighted when created in the UK, but not in the US and certain other countries. You need to check you national and maybe even local laws to get clarity on that. Owning copyright means you own the rights to reproduce the content of your production.

If you looking for a way to prevent people from copying your DVD, as mentioned above, there is no method for this with DVD-Rs.

However you can set flags in software to prepare a DVD project for CCS and Macrovision protection when sent to a mastering house for a long run, but you will probably have to verify with them that the technologies are enabled. These systems make it more difficult to copy a disc casually, but it can still be managed quite easily with the right tools.

**Under U.S law, you have a copyright upon creation of your work. Creation occurs when the work is fixed in a tangible medium. Even without publication or copyright registration, federal copyright protection begins from the time you put your work into tangible form. Under the old law, publication was the pivotal act of copyright. Under the revised law [1978], the emphasis is upon creation.**

Also, a copyright does not mean you "own the rights to reproduce the content of your production." It is, in the U.S., defined as a "series of exclusive rights granted to the author [which] include the right to prohibit others from reproducing (copying), adapting (making derivative works), distributing, publicly performing, or publicly displaying the work.."

Once again, Robert, you need to get your facts straight before sharing your speculations in public forums. DaveT2 is correct about U.S. copyright.

Actually there was mention of special media that would prevent copying when played on compliant hardware a while back (this year). Of course, that's hardly practical unless all hardware is compliant.

It is true that a work in the US is copyrighted when produced. BUT if it goes before a judge evidence must be presented. If your work carries a copyright NOTICE you will be ahead but far from safe. If you have REGISTERED your work with the Registrar of Copyrights then you will have a piece of paper providing more evidence of your ownership. Ultimately any suit will be decided by a judge.

musicvid,

That was a harsh rebuke you gave RobertW.
What gives you the right to offer such a harsh rebuke you stupid stupid pig-headed man!?!?


note the irony?

Barb,
Yes I did note the irony.
I and most others here have tried patient guidance and acceptance as a first and final approach, with occasional lapses; however without defaulting to name-calling or personal insult.

Occasionally, however, there is an individual who, through inexperience or misguidance, insists on spouting interminable nonsense, misinformation, and hyperbole as fact, and then trashes anyone who disagrees, including some of the planet's most experienced and knowledgeable professionals (I exclude myself from that category). This can be especially troublesome to the responsible majority on a user-help board, since sincere yet inexperienced newcomers often "buy into" nice-sounding but irrational and potentially damaging "solutions." This not only taints the credibility of the forums, but also negatively impacts the user's overall experience, and interferes with the flow of factual information, unnecessarily.

That being said, none of us are being paid to be here, nor do we have a compelling interest in promoting or defending the software; in fact, it is the most loyal users who are often its harshest and most brutal critics when there are consistently verifiable issues. The difference? The responsible contributors constantly check the facts and check themselves to avoid personal judgment, insult, and condemnation of the software developers and our fellow users, fully understanding that most of us are here for the same reasons, started at the same place with NLE, and share the same fallibilities, even though our experiences may diverge.

Notice that I have not mentioned names nor invoked diagnostic terms, although a couple of each come to mind. One thing I can say is that when an individual blasts those who have shared successful experiences with the software as "cretins" who need to be "exposed," condemns the company as "jokers" and vows to use "embarrassment" as a "weapon" against them, offers potentially detrimental advice to new users and then declines to accept responsibility when it is pointed out, insists the software is changing closed files, and claims clairvoyant knowledge of the developers' intentions (mostly sinister), then I certainly would say that what you perceive as harsh may actually reflect my relative intent to remain firm and consistent. Note the careful use of the word "relative."

Hope this helps to begin to understand the corrective tone of my post, which you apparently just caught anew. Just a note, all of any user's posts are searchable on this forum, so if you catch a few of mine where I have been unfair, immature, or not accepted responsibility on the spot, I respectfully do so now.

Oh, and how dare you accuse me of being a man!?!?

note the irony ;?)

I'll also toss in my usual 2 cents that you cannot possibly protect your video from being copied unless you take the rather severe measure of never releasing it at all. There is no known or possible way to keep people from copying your video. If they can see it, they can copy it.

The absolute worst you can do is hold a few non-determined people up for a few minutes.